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Get Your Flu Shot Now

Dale wearing blue gloves giving a flu shot to a patient.

For some, getting a flu shot is just part of the fall routine every year. Immunization against the virus that causes influenza prevents millions of people from getting the disease, makes the disease less severe if you do get it, and can prevent death from severe disease and its complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza causes an estimated 12,000 to 61,000 deaths every year in this country.

This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians and public health officials say it’s even more important that everyone over the age of six months get a flu shot. This is especially important if you have an underlying health condition that makes you more at risk for developing complications if you get the flu. While the influenza vaccine will not prevent you from getting COVID-19 (researchers are still working on a vaccine for this different virus), it will help you avoid getting seriously sick with or—heaven forbid—dying from the flu. And the fewer people who get the flu, the more it saves healthcare resources that are still urgently needed for treating COVID-19 patients.

Those who are at high risk for flu complications are also at greater risk for getting COVID-19 and having serious outcomes. If you have an autoimmune condition or immune deficiency disease, such as myositis, myasthenia gravis, pemphigus and pemphigoid, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and primary immunodeficiency (PI), this means you. You are at a much greater risk for getting sick with the flu and at greater risk for developing complications like pneumonia if you do. If you have heart disease, cancer, or diabetes, getting the flu can also make these conditions worse.

Getting the flu vaccine, however, is not a straightforward decision for some who have these conditions. For example, some people with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) may have developed this form of muscle paralysis after receiving an influenza immunization. According to the GBS|CIDP Foundation International, the association between GBS and flu vaccines is inconclusive, but they suggest these individuals avoid the vaccine in the future. If you have had GBS, especially if it developed four to six weeks after getting a flu shot, you should talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of getting the vaccine again.

Another consideration is the aerosol form of the flu vaccine. This is a live attenuated (weakened) influenza vaccine that is given through the nose. While the injected vaccines are made with inactivated virus, the nasal spray is made with live organisms that have been weakened but are still able to activate the body’s immune response against the disease.

The intranasal vaccine is not recommended for those younger than two, older than 50, or those who have a weakened immune system, including some patients who take immune suppressing medications. If you care for or live with someone who is immune compromised, you should also avoid the nasal spray. And if you have an underlying medical condition that puts you at risk for developing severe complications from the flu (such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disorders, neurologic and neuromuscular disorders, blood disorders, and diabetes), it’s important to check with your physician before taking the nasal flu vaccine.

According to the Immune Deficiency Foundation, those with certain forms of immune deficiency (common variable immune deficiency [CVID], severe combined immune deficiency [SCID] or Bruton’s agammaglobulinemia) are unable to develop protective immunity following vaccination. This means their bodies don’t have the infrastructure to develop the immunity needed to keep them from getting sick, so vaccines will not do them any good. In fact, for individuals with these forms of PI, live vaccines—including the influenza nasal spray—may put them in danger of developing severe disease.

The only reason not to get a flu shot is if you have a severe, life-threatening allergy to the vaccine or any of its ingredients. This might include gelatin, certain antibiotics, or other ingredients. If you get hives when you eat eggs, studies have shown that most times you can still get the flu shot. If you have a more serious reaction to eggs or you are worried about this, you should of course talk with your doctor. Egg-free alternative vaccines are available.

The CDC has more information about seasonal influenza and how to prevent it.

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Virus Prevention 101

We are all becoming much more educated about viruses these days. Here is a basic rundown on the biology of this microorganism that will help dispel some of the myths about this invisible threat and help control its spread.

  • All viruses—including coronavirus—are not living organisms. They are a protein molecule (RNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat). When virus molecules are absorbed by the cells lining the eye, nose, or mouth, they are like parasites. The RNA is able to replicate (multiply) inside the cell and become aggressive in the body.
  • Since a virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, when it lands on non-biological surfaces, it is not killed but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity, and type of material where it lies.
  • The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or laundry detergent can easily destroy it. The foam cuts through the fat, which is why you have to scrub vigorously—20 seconds or more—and make a lot of foam when you wash your hands. By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.
  • Heat melts fat. This is why it is best to use water hotter than 77 degrees Fahrenheit for washing hands, clothes, and anything that has come in contact with the virus. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more effective.
  • Alcohol or any mixture with a concentration of alcohol over 65% dissolves any fat, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.
  • Any mix with one part bleach and five parts water directly dissolves the virus protein by breaking it down from the inside.
  • Oxygenated water (peroxide) is effective long after soap, alcohol, and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein. But peroxide damages skin if used undiluted, and it is not effective if you dilute it.
  • ANTIBIOTICS DO NOT WORK. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria. Antibiotics (bactericides) cannot kill viruses.
  • Never shake used or unused clothing, sheets, or cloth. Shaking the fabric or using a feather duster on surfaces releases the virus molecules into the air where they can float for up to 3 hours and lodge in your nose.
  • Virus attached to a porous surface disintegrates at different rates depending on the material:
    • Fabric and porous surfaces: 3-6 hours
    • Copper and wood: 4 hours
    • Cardboard: 24 hours
    • Metal: 42 hours
    • Plastic: 72 hours
  • The virus molecules remain very stable in cold air, including air conditioners in houses and cars. They also need moisture and darkness to stay stable. Therefore, the virus will degrade faster in dehumidified, dry, warm, and bright environments.
  • UV light (such as sunlight) shining on any surface that may contain the virus will break down the virus protein. Sitting objects in the sun can disinfect them. Be careful, though: UV light also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin.
  • The virus cannot pass through healthy skin.
  • Vinegar is not a useful cleaning solution, because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.
  • No alcoholic beverages are effective cleaning solutions. The strongest, vodka, contains only 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.
  • The more confined the space, the more concentrated the virus can be in the air. The more open or naturally ventilated, the better. Outdoor spaces are best.
  • You must wash your hands before and after touching your face, nose, or mouth as well as after touching food, locks, doorknobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, credit card pin pads, and after using the bathroom.
  • Stay hydrated. Drinking warm water is best. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
  • Use moisturizer on your hands, because your skin gets dry from so much washing. Virus molecules can hide in the micro cracks of dry skin. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.
  • Keep your nails short so that the virus cannot hide under there.
  • Wearing a mask in public can decrease the spread of coronavirus. A mask will keep infected droplets from landing on your nose or mouth where they can infect you.
  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the spread of COVID-19 can be reduced when masks are used along with other preventive measures, such as social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.